If you last looked this up in 2025, the rules have changed. The UK Foreign Office now says British visitors can stay up to 30 days. Anything that still says 60 days is out of date. This page sticks to the UK-specific details; the rules for other passports are in our Thailand entry requirements guide.
Do I need a visa for Thailand from the UK?
Not for a holiday. British citizens are on Thailand's 30-day visa-exempt list, which took effect for entries from 15 September 2026. There's nothing to apply for in advance: the immigration officer stamps you in for 30 days when you land.
There are a few conditions:
- It's for tourism only. If you're going for work meetings or business, you need a Non-Immigrant "B" visa.
- You can't turn it into a longer stay without either an extension in Thailand or a visa applied for before you go.
- The Foreign Office says visa-exempt entry is "normally limited to two entries per calendar year", and the Thai Embassy in London uses similar wording. The Tourism Authority of Thailand applies the cap to land borders and Germany's Foreign Office to land and sea, while air arrivals are left to the immigration officer. If you plan to fly in and out of Thailand more than twice in a year, check with the Thai Embassy in London first.
If you entered before 15 September 2026 on the old 60-day rule, you keep the 60 days you were given.
Don't count the days yourself. Your entry stamp shows the last date you can stay, and the Thai Embassy in London advises checking it before you leave the immigration desk.
Staying longer than 30 days
The simplest option is to extend in Thailand. You can do it once, by up to 30 days, at a Thai immigration office: fill in form TM.7 and pay 1,900 THB. The officer decides, and the Thai Embassy in London confirms extensions are still available under the new rules. That takes you to roughly 60 days.
The other option is a Tourist Visa, arranged before you go. It gives you 60 days on arrival, extendable by 30 days. You apply online at thaievisa.go.th while you're outside Thailand:
- Register with your email address. The activation link expires in 30 minutes.
- Choose the Royal Thai Embassy in London (it covers UK residents) and the Tourist Visa.
- Enter your details. The site reads your passport photo page.
- Upload a passport scan, a photo (JPG under 200 KB, white background, taken in the last 6 months), bank statements, your flights, your accommodation and proof you live in the UK, such as a utility bill.
- Sign the declaration and pay by card.
- The approved visa comes by email as a PDF. Print it for check-in and immigration.
Processing times aren't guaranteed, so apply 3 to 4 weeks before you fly (no earlier than 3 months). The London embassy's fee table lists £30 for single entry and £150 for multiple entry. That table dates from 2022 and nothing newer has been published, so check the fee on thaievisa.go.th before you pay. The portal asks for proof of at least 20,000 THB, such as three months of bank statements.
Don't overstay. It costs 500 THB a day up to 20,000 THB and can lead to detention, deportation and a ban of up to 10 years.
Entry checklist
- Passport valid for at least 6 months from arrival, with a blank page
- Return or onward ticket (the Foreign Office reports refusals without one)
- TDAC filed at tdac.immigration.go.th within 3 days before arrival (free)
- Proof of funds: the Foreign Office says 10,000 THB per person, but the Thai Embassy in London says 20,000 THB, so carry about 20,000 THB or be ready to show a card or bank balance
- First night's accommodation address (the TDAC asks for it)
- Travel insurance (not required for entry, but see below)
- No vape, no amphetamine-based ADHD medication, permit sorted for codeine
- Tourist Visa PDF, if you're staying more than 30 days without extending
There's no tourist entry fee yet. A 450 THB fee is still only a proposal, and the earliest the government aims to start collecting it is early 2027. Read the Foreign Office's current Thailand advice before you fly too. Our Thailand safety guide summarises it.
Flights from the UK to Thailand
Almost everyone flies into Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK), though a few routes go straight to Phuket (HKT). Schedules change by season, so check the airline's own timetable before you book.
Direct flights
| Airline | Route | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Thai Airways | Heathrow to Bangkok | Nonstop |
| EVA Air | Heathrow to Bangkok | Continues to Taipei |
| British Airways | Gatwick to Bangkok | Back since October 2024. 3 a week in summer 2026, 6 a week in winter 2026/27 |
| Norse Atlantic | Gatwick or Manchester to Bangkok, Gatwick to Phuket | Winter seasonal. Gatwick to Phuket is new for 2026/27, 3 a week from December 2026 |
| Virgin Atlantic | Heathrow to Phuket | Seasonal, from 18 October 2026, 3 a week |
A nonstop to Bangkok takes roughly 11 to 12 hours out, and the return is longer.
One-stop routings
Airlines that route you through China, the Gulf or Istanbul give you one-stop options to Bangkok and often Phuket too, at the cost of a longer journey and a change of plane. Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad and Turkish Airlines also fly from UK airports outside London, so check each airline's own route map for your nearest airport.
When to fly
Fares usually follow Thailand's seasons. High season (November to February, plus Songkran in mid-April) costs most, and the wet season (roughly May to October) costs least. Our best time to visit Thailand guide explains what the weather is like in each month. Compare a few dates on the airline's own booking page before you commit.
What to bring from the UK
Plug adaptor. Thai sockets take types A, B, C and O, so your UK three-pin plug (type G) won't fit. The supply is 220 V, 50 Hz, close to the UK's 230 V, so UK chargers work fine with just an adaptor.
Money and cards. Thai ATMs charge foreign cards a flat 220-250 THB per withdrawal (up to 350 THB at some). AEON machines charge about 150 THB. Withdraw bigger amounts less often. When the ATM or card machine asks, always choose to be charged in baht, not pounds. If you land with about 20,000 THB or the equivalent, that also covers the funds question.
Insurance. You don't need it to get in, but the Foreign Office warns that private hospitals ask for a payment guarantee before treatment. Buy a policy that covers medical treatment and repatriation, and check it covers any activities you're planning. Your GHIC or EHIC is no use here: the NHS list of countries where it works doesn't include Thailand.
Medicines. British travellers get caught out here more than anywhere else:
- Elvanse, Adderall, Dexedrine and dexamfetamine are banned in Thailand, with no permit possible. Methylphenidate is allowed for up to 30 days' supply with a doctor's letter.
- Codeine needs a Thai FDA permit from permitfortraveler.fda.moph.go.th, applied for at least 14 days before you arrive. That includes over-the-counter co-codamol and other codeine painkillers: the Thai FDA lists codeine as a Category 2 narcotic, and its traveller guidance makes no exception for low doses. Get the permit or leave them at home.
- Keep everything in its original packaging, and declare permit medicines at the red channel.
Vape. Leave it at home. Vapes are illegal to bring in, own or use, and fines typically run 5,000-30,000 THB.
Everything else. Pack reef-safe sunscreen (some sunscreen ingredients are banned in marine parks), insect repellent with DEET or picaridin, and clothes that cover shoulders and knees for temples. Our Southeast Asia packing list has the full list.
Arrival day, step by step
- Before you leave home: file your TDAC and save the confirmation on your phone. If you want data on landing, set up a travel eSIM now.
- On the plane: keep your passport, TDAC confirmation, return flight and first address together.
- Immigration at BKK: show your passport. The officer can ask about your onward ticket and funds. You're stamped in for 30 days.
- Customs: green channel if you have nothing to declare. Red channel if you're carrying permit medicines, more than 200 cigarettes or 1 litre of alcohol, or foreign currency over US$15,000.
- SIM and cash: AIS, TrueMove H and dtac have counters in arrivals. A tourist SIM costs about 299-599 THB, and you need your passport. Look for an AEON ATM if you need cash.
- Into the city: the Airport Rail Link runs from the basement (level B1) to Phaya Thai in central Bangkok, from 05:30 to midnight, for about 45 THB. Public metered taxis leave from Level 1: you pay the meter plus a 50 THB airport charge plus expressway tolls, usually 400-600 THB in total. Grab picks up from Level 1, Gate 4. If your next flight leaves from Don Mueang (DMK), there's a free shuttle bus between the airports for passengers with an onward boarding pass. Allow 1-1.5 hours by road.
Travel Thailand with us
Thailand in 2 Weeks covers the north and the islands. If it's just beaches you're after, Thailand Island Hopping Tour is 10 days. Both fit well inside the 30-day visa-free stay. Ages 18 to 40, and I'm with the group throughout as your Trip Host.
